New Student Leaders Find Their Paths at Hancock

New ASBG President and Student Trustee Named

JULY 17, 2013 -- Allan Hancock College has two new top student representatives, excited
to share their love of the college with their fellow students. Peter Gonzalez, a
20-year-old Santa Maria resident, was elected during the spring 2013 semester and
will serve as the Associated Student Body President until spring 2014. Lauren Kueffler,
a 19-year-old from Nipomo, was sworn in as the new student trustee on the Allan Hancock
College Board of Trustees on Tuesday, July 16. She will serve on the board until
July 1, 2014.

“I think it’s great that students are allowed to serve on the board,” Kueffler said.
“It’s one of many reasons that I just love this college.”

Gonzalez and Kueffler both bring experience to their new posts, having served on the
ASBG board last year as the vice president and director of legislative affairs, respectively.

Both students credit the leadership program at Hancock with helping them to increase
their confidence in themselves and in their future career paths. For Gonzalez, that
means broadcast journalism. It has always been an interest for him, Gonzalez said,
but the confidence that he gained through his involvement with ASBG convinced him
it was the right choice.

“Each year I became more confident, and I felt like the leadership class was helping
me come out of my shell just a little bit more,” he said.

This will be Gonzalez’s third year at Hancock and his last before transferring. As
president, Gonzalez said wants to show students the benefits of becoming more involved
in student clubs, in ASBG and in college life.

“If we could just reach more students and help make their experience at Hancock better
for them, then I would be happy,” Gonzalez said.

Like Gonzalez, Kueffler came to Hancock with a general plan, knowing that she wanted
to work with animals. She is now working toward transferring to UC Davis as an animal
science management major.

“I’ve always loved animals,” she said, “but through ASBG and all the meetings we held,
I discovered I really liked that and it steered me more toward the business world.”

Kueffler and Gonzalez agreed that Hancock was the best place for them to find themselves.

“I think if I had gone straight to a four-year university I would have been one of
those students who leaves school and comes back,” Gonzalez said.

Instead, Gonzalez, who was home-schooled until his senior year of high school, is
ready to see the world. In addition to increasing student involvement on campus,
one of Gonzalez’s goals this year is to organize student trips. A trip to New York
City is his dream, but taking students outside of their comfort zone and exposing
them to new experiences is his main purpose, he said.

Kueffler, meanwhile, will be living her business dreams in the boardroom. She said
she can’t wait to get into the board meetings and act as the representative for students
in an institution of which she is proud to be a part.

“I really like the community college system and the way that everyone at Hancock goes
out of their way to help students,” she said. “When you’re involved in student life
and ASBG, you get to meet a lot of new people, not just students but a lot of good
adults who want the best for you.”